Publicis Groupe acquires UBS

Publicis Groupe announced today that it has acquired U-Link Business Solutions Co. Ltd (UBS), one of the leading Chinese agencies specialized in healthcare communications.

UBS will become part of Publicis Healthcare Communications Group (PHCG) and will be renamed UBS Saatchi & Saatchi Health.

Founded in 1997, UBS employs approximately 170 people at its Shanghai headquarters and Beijing office. Through its multidisciplinary team and in-depth market intelligence, UBS offers PR, events management, medical association relationships and brand management to its clients, which include Abbott, GenSci Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Roche, Wyeth and Xian-Janssen.

"The Chinese healthcare market is one of the fastest growing in the world" declared Nick Colucci, CEO and President of PHCG: "Adding UBS to our portfolio brings the Saatchi & Saatchi Health flagship brand to China, and will make PHCG one of the largest healthcare communications groups in the region."

UBS co-founder and CEO Frank Xu will remain at the helm, taking the title of Managing Director and reporting directly to Ash Kuchel, President of PHCG Asia Pacific region. Xu said: "We are excited to be joining the world's leading healthcare network at such a pivotal time in China. Combining our expertise with the resources of PHCG will benefit our clients."

With UBS's acquisition PHCG continues its expansion in Asia, following its recent acquisitions of Beijing Dreams Advertising and Beijing Dreams Zhiyang Communication (May 2011) and the India-based Watermelon agency (March 2011). PHCG counts now 220 employees in Greater China and is present through its agencies Publicis Life Brands Dreams, Publicis Life Brands China, and now UBS Saatchi & Saatchi Health.

Today's announcement is the latest in a series of China agency additions for Publicis Groupe that includes Wangfan and Gomye (November 2011), Genedigi (June 2011), Dreams (May 2011), Interactive Communications Ltd (February 2011) and Eastwei Relations (November 2010). It is in line with Publicis Groupe's strategy to increase its presence in fast growing markets, with China at its core and where Publicis Groupe has set an objective to double its size.

Jean-Yves Naouri, Publicis Groupe COO and Chairman of China Publicis Groupe added: "Addressing the large and fast growing healthcare market in China is essential to our global clients and therefore one of our strategic priorities. I am particularly pleased with the acquisition of UBS, an outstanding agency that will further enhance PHCG's offering in China and in Asia. We maintain our course and we're on-target to achieve our objectives in China."